Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 164 (2015) 214e220

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Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

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The European Juniperus habitat in the Sardinian coastal dunes: Implication for conservation

* Maria Silvia Pinna 1, Eva Maria Canadas~ 2, Giuseppe Fenu , 3, Gianluigi Bacchetta

Centro Conservazione Biodiversita (CCB), Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Universita degli Studi di Cagliari, Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 11-13, I-09123 Cagliari, Italy article info abstract

Article history: In this study, we explore the influence of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the floristic Received 27 October 2014 variability of the “coastal dunes with Juniperus spp.” European habitat (code 2250*) in Sardinia. Two Received in revised form datasets were created: the first by inputting phytosociological releves available in literature plus our own 5 May 2015 samplings; the second by including, for each releve, environmental, floristic, and human-related factors. Accepted 25 July 2015 Differences in Juniperus habitat composition and the influence of the explanatory variables were Available online 30 July 2015 analyzed by multivariate analysis, while GLM were used to test the effect of human disturbance and sampling period on several habitat parameters ( richness, cover of endemic and alien taxa). The Keywords: fl fi fl Mediterranean coastal dunes oristic composition differed among sites, being signi cantly in uenced by all the variables analyzed Endemic species except coastal type. Composition was governed mainly by a latitudinal gradient, linked to a climatic Human impact gradient, which varied from North to South. In addition, the floristic richness was positively influenced Alien species by low and medium levels of human disturbance. Similarly, the plant richness and cover of endemic taxa Phytosociological surveys was positively related to medium level of human disturbance, while the cover of alien taxa was positively Sardinia related to recent sampling. The analysis of our own floristic data together with those recorded from 1976 is useful to monitor floristic changes over decades and gives a better understanding of the “coastal dunes with Juniperus spp.” habitat to contribute to its conservation; therefore, management actions, such as eradication of alien taxa, should be implemented. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction European Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), this shows the high het- erogeneity of all coastal dune habitats in Europe. However, the Coastal dune ecosystems host high biodiversity, compared with structure and composition of plant communities are not only other natural ecosystems, and show an extremely specialized flora affected by environmental factors such as the high sand mobility, and fauna (Carranza et al., 2008). This is because of the intricate the wind impact, the salt spray, and sand accretion (Maun, 2009), interactions between abiotic and biotic factors in coastal dunes that but also by anthropogenic factors, since human disturbance has cause a complex sea-to-inland environmental gradient (Carranza increased greatly in the last two centuries in coastal systems et al., 2008; Prisco et al., 2012; Fenu et al., 2013a; Angiolini et al., (Nordstrom, 2000; Brown et al., 2008). The rapid increase in a wide 2013). This gradient determines a gradual change in vegetation, range of human activities (urbanization, agriculture, forestry, in- and, as 17 coastal habitat types were listed in Annex I of the dustry, transport and tourism, etc.) has led to a progressive dete- rioration and biodiversity loss, causing fragmentation and a dramatic decline in the distribution and quality of dune habitats (Davenport and Davenport, 2006; Reger et al., 2007; Arianoutsou * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (G. Fenu). et al., 2012). 1 Present address: DIAEE Dipartimento di Ingegneria Astronautica Elettrica ed As such, many works have highlighted the effects of human Energetica, Sapienza Universita di Roma, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 244, I-00186 disturbance on the plant diversity of coastal dunes in the Medi- Roma, Italy. terranean region (e.g., van der Meulen and Salman, 1996; Acosta 2 Present address: Departamento de Botanica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad et al., 2006; Carboni et al., 2009; Attorre et al., 2013; Fenu et al., de Granada, Avda. Fuentenueva, s/n, Granada 18071, Spain. 3 Present address: Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Sapienza Universitadi 2012, 2013a; Santoro et al., 2012; Ciccarelli, 2014). In Italy, the Roma, Piazzale A. Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy. overall conservation status of coastal habitats is unsatisfactory for http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2015.07.032 0272-7714/© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. M.S. Pinna et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 164 (2015) 214e220 215

86.7% of the sites (Biondi and Zivkovic, 2014). In particular, Prisco and sampling period were assigned as anthropogenic variables. In et al. (2013) demonstrated that mobile and fixed dunes (including particular, three levels of human disturbance were established 2120, 2210, 2250 habitats), are projected to lose most of their dis- (low, medium and high), on the basis of data on arrivals, nights tribution area in the near future. Certainly, the ‘coastal dunes with spent, and capacity of tourist accommodation in Sardinia during Juniperus spp.’ habitat (code 2250 in the Habitats Directive; Juni- the tourist season (data from http://www.sardegnastatistiche.it/ perus habitat, hereafter), which is the focus of this study, has a argomenti/turismo). Regarding sampling period, releves were rather reduced size as a consequence of human pressure grouped in two categories: old sampling, including the releves (Arianoutsou et al., 2012). This habitat comprises scrubs or carried out before 1996 (n ¼ 94), and recent sampling, for those micro-forests, which represent the most mature stage of psam- subsequent to 2000 (n ¼ 60), since the influx of tourism on the mophilous succession on coastal sand dunes in a variety of situa- coasts of Sardinia has been increasing sharply from this date. Plant tions (Biondi et al., 2009; Fenu et al., 2013a). It is characterized parameters included: plant cover, species number (richness), as mainly by Juniperus communis L., in thermo-Atlantic coastal dunes well as number and cover of endemic and alien taxa. Specifically, of Central/Northern Europe, or Juniperus macrocarpa Sm. and for endemic and alien species we followed Bacchetta et al. (2012a,b) Juniperus phoenicea L. var. turbinata (Guss.) Parl., in Southern and Podda et al. (2011), respectively. Europe. It is widely distributed along the Mediterranean and Atlantic sandy coasts of Southern and Western Europe and sec- 2.2. Data analysis ondly in Central and Northern Europe (European Commission, 2007; Biondi et al., 2009). Italy hosts the largest surface area of Firstly, we performed multivariate analyses by using the R vegan this habitat in Europe (including the 39% of the total) and approx. package (Oksanen et al., 2012). We tested changes in Juniperus 5% of the European surface is located in Sardinia (Picchi, 2008). This habitat composition and the influence of the explanatory variables priority habitat for conservation in the Mediterranean Basin is through ordinations and permutational multivariate analysis of highly threatened by human related-factors (i.e. touristic settle- variance (PERMANOVA; Anderson, 2001) using the ‘adonis’ proce- ments, urbanization) and alien plant species invasion as well as dure (Oksanen et al., 2012). Subsequently, we used Non-Metric from other pressure such as coastal erosion, habitat fragmentation, Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) to visualize the relationship in forest fire and pollution (Paradis et al., 2004; Picchi, 2008; Attorre our study area between plant species composition, sites and et al., 2013; Del Vecchio et al., 2013). Juniperus habitat shows crit- explanatory variables. In addition, we used a General Linear ical constraints for the natural recovery (Pinna et al., 2014a, b), Model (GLM) to test the effect of human disturbance and some studies have dealt with this habitat (e.g. Gehu et al., 1990; sampling period on plant richness, as well as on cover of endemic Paradis, 1991; Piazza and Paradis, 1998; Munoz-Reinoso,~ 2004; and alien taxa. GLM were fitted specifying a Poisson error Paradis et al., 2004; Díez-Garretas and Asensi, 2014), but the key distribution and log as a link function. All statistical analyses to solving conservation problems are far from being understood. were performed using the R statistical package (R Development Therefore, new studies are needed to increase the knowledge of Core Team, 2012). this priority habitat and to provide tools for its conservation. This is the overall goal of the present study, and the specific aims are: (1) 3. Results to explore the floristic variability of Juniperus habitat in Sardinia in relation to environmental and human variables, and (2) to evaluate 3.1. Factors influencing floristic composition spatio-temporal changes in key plant parameters by analyzing samples located in areas with several human disturbance levels and The total mean cover of the Juniperus habitat in Sardinia was performed in different periods. 85.3% (habitat cover for each releve was calculated by the sum of the cover of each species). The mean cover of the two Juniperus 2. Materials and methods species was 53.32%. The most frequent taxa were Pistacia lentiscus (133 releves; mean cover: 9.96%), J. macrocarpa (104 releves; mean 2.1. Data collections cover: 47.38%), J. phoenicea var. turbinata (100 releves; mean cover: 37.91%), Rubia peregrina (95 releves; mean cover: 1.70%) and Phil- We combined the phytosociological releves carried out on lyrea angustifolia (88 releves; mean cover: 4.49%). Juniperus habitat in Sardinia available in the literature, with our Floristic composition differed among sites and was significantly own unpublished releves (see Appendix A), all of them made ac- influenced by almost all the evaluated variables, which explained cording to the Sigmatist School of Zurich-Montpellier (Rivas- 38.70% of the total variability (Table 1). Only coastal type factor Martínez, 2005). The spatial distribution of releves is showed in (sandy or rocky coast) did not significantly influence floristic Fig. 1. The taxonomic treatment of vascular flora was updated ac- composition. In particular, the floristic composition was described cording to Conti et al. (2007; see a complete list of vascular in mainly by geographic variables (longitude: R2 ¼ 0.0525; latitude: Appendix B), building a final floristic matrix of 154 releves 167 R2 ¼ 0.1059). Among climatic variables, the effect of the maximum taxa. Then the Braun-Blanquet value of each taxon was transformed temperatures (R2 ¼ 0.0497) was remarkable. Also the effects of into the quantitative scale according to van der Maarel (1979) and human disturbance and sampling period were significant Noest et al. (1989). (R2 ¼ 0.0237 and R2 ¼ 0.0372, respectively). Subsequently, we created a second data matrix inputting for Fig. 2 shows these patterns, where proximity among points each releve plant parameters as well as environmental and means floristic similarity. Two main groups of releves can be anthropogenic variables. Environmental factors included: distinguished: on the right side of the graph (positive values of geographic variables (latitude and longitude), coastal type (using NMDS1) the releves are related to J. phoenicea var. turbinata, while two categories: sandy coast and rocky coast) and climatic variables on the left side (negative values of NMDS1) the releves are related (annual mean temperature, maximum temperature of the warmest to J. macrocarpa. The first group showed lower variability and month, minimum temperature of the coldest month, annual pre- included the releves from La Maddalena and Nurra localities cipitation and precipitation of the driest quarter) which were (Northern Sardinia), characterized mainly by the presence of taxa downloaded from the WorldClim database (version 1.4; http:// such as Chamaerops humilis, Hypochaeris achyrophorus, Arbutus www.worldclim.org; Hijmans et al., 2005). Human disturbance unedo, Carex flacca subsp. serrulata, Genista corsica, Myrtus 216 M.S. Pinna et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 164 (2015) 214e220

Fig. 1. Releve sites showing symbols to distinguish the occurrence of Juniperus: habitat with Juniperus macrocarpa only (points), habitat with Juniperus phoenicea var. turbinata only (crosses), habitat with Juniperus phoenicea var. turbinata and Juniperus macrocarpa (circles). Abbreviations of releve sites: Ad: Acqua Durci; Bu: Buggerru; Cc: Capo Comino; Cd:Tra Capo Pecora e Torre di Cala Domestica; Ch: Chia; Cu: Cussorgia; Ia: Is Arenas; LM: La Maddalena; Mp: Litorale Maria Pia e Alghero; Nu: Porticciolo Alghero; Pf: Porto Ferro; Pi: Piscinas; Po: Portixeddu; Pp: Porto Pino; Pz: Porto Zafferano; Sa: Sant’Antioco; So: Marina di Sorso; Ss: Sa salina; Ts: Torre salinas; Vi: Villasimius. M.S. Pinna et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 164 (2015) 214e220 217

Table 1 PERMANOVA test results for factors influencing habitat composition. Df: degrees of freedom; X: longitude; Y: latitude; tma: annual mean temperature; tmax: maximum temperature of the warmest month; tmin: minimum temperature of the coldest month; pa: annual precipitation; pdq: precipitation of the driest quarter.

Variables Df Sums of squares Mean squares F. Model R2 Pr (>F)

X 1 2.030 2.0305 12.2224 0.0525 0.0010*** Y 1 4.098 4.0983 24.6700 0.1059 0.0010*** tma 1 1.331 1.3310 8.0121 0.0344 0.0010*** tmax 1 1.924 1.9240 11.5814 0.0497 0.0010*** tmin 1 1.167 1.1675 7.0276 0.0302 0.0010*** pa 1 1.170 1.1699 7.0420 0.0302 0.0010*** pdq 1 0.809 0.8091 4.8705 0.0209 0.0020** Human disturbance 2 0.917 0.4585 2.7598 0.0237 0.0020** Sampling period 1 1.438 1.4382 8.6570 0.0372 0.0010*** Coastal type 1 0.222 0.2225 1.3392 0.0057 0.1798 NS Residuals 142 23.590 0.1661 0.6096 Total 153 38.698 1.0000

NS: not significant; **: 0.01 > p > 0.001; ***: p < 0.001. communis, Euphorbia characias, as well as the releves from Capo the strength of the gradient, with arrows pointing in the direction Comino and Maria Pia localities characterized by Clematis cirrhosa. of most rapid change in the variable (direction of the gradient). The second group linked to J. macrocarpa showed greater vari- ability, and included taxa such as Polycarpon tetraphyllum, Cyperus 3.2. Effects of human disturbance and sampling period on plant capitatus, Crucianella maritima, Malcolmia ramosissima, Pancratium parameters maritimum, and Scrophularia ramosissima. Many of these species are characteristic of other vegetation assemblages (i.e. psammo- The total number of taxa per releve ranged from 4 to 27. The phylous habitats such as ‘Crucianellion maritimae fixed beach releves with the highest species richness were those from the lo- dunes’ or ‘Malcolmietalia dune grasslands’). The second group was calities of Sa Salina (Ss3 and Ss2; 27 and 26 taxa, respectively; for constituted mainly by the releves made in Southern Sardinia (Chia, abbreviations see Fig. 1), Punta Cristallo, Porto Pino, and Sant’An- Villasimius, Piscinas, Buggerru, Portixeddu, and Cala Domestica). tioco (Nu8, Pp4, Sa2; 25 taxa). The variables most correlated with NMDS1 were precipitation of Of the 167 taxa recorded in this study, 14 were endemic. The the driest quarter and latitude (positively correlated), as well as richest site in endemic species was Acqua Durci (4 taxa), whereas maximum temperature of the warmest month and annual mean the maximum cover in endemic species was found at La Maddalena temperature (negatively correlated), while the variables most (38.5%). Moreover, a total of 6 alien taxa was recorded, with the site correlated with NMDS2 were longitude and annual precipitation richest in alien taxa being Marina di Sorso (2 taxa), where also the (Figs. 2 and 3; Table 2). The length of the arrows (vectors) showed maximum cover (39.75%) was recorded. Human disturbance significantly influenced species richness, while sampling period was not significant (Table 3). In particular, a significant positive effect of low and medium human disturbance on species richness was found. Also the effect of medium human disturbance and recent sampling on the cover of endemic taxa was found to be significantly positive. Finally, the effect of recent sam- pling on alien taxa cover also proved significantly positive (Table 3).

4. Discussion

4.1. Factors influencing floristic composition and plant parameters

The coastal Juniperus habitat showed considerable variability in floristic composition among sites in Sardinia. We found that the habitat had a dominant underlying gradient. Specifically, it was mainly a latitudinal gradient, implying, in turn, changes in climatic factors that have been also noted by other authors as drivers of dune-habitat composition (e.g., Miller et al., 2010). In particular, we found that the floristic composition varied gradually from North (where habitat is characterized by the dominance of J. phoenicea var. turbinata and the lack of J. macrocarpa) to South (where J. macrocarpa predominates), with the habitat being progressively more exposed to the extreme summer drought as latitude de- creases (higher temperature and lower precipitations, especially of Fig. 2. Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) ordination of the 154 releves the driest quarter). This pattern differs from that observed nearby showing the distribution of the main site groups and vectors of the significant in Corsica, where the distribution of different Juniperus taxa does explanatory factors. Explanatory factors: X: longitude; Y: latitude; tma: annual mean not seems related to latitude (Paradis, 1991) and other factors (i.e. temperature; tmax: maximum temperature of the warmest month; pa: annual pre- ancient biogeography, geology) may have played a pivotal role in cipitation; pdq: precipitation of the driest quarter. Different symbols represent different releve sites. Only significant variables were projected onto the ordination this process. Furthermore, a secondary longitudinal gradient may diagram. For abbreviation, see Fig. 1. be interpreted, with precipitation increasing westwards, where 218 M.S. Pinna et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 164 (2015) 214e220

Fig. 3. Releves in ordination space (1st and 2nd axes) overlaid on fitted surfaces (contour lines). a) Fitted climatic surface: Maximum temperature of the warmest month (red line); b) Fitted geographic surface: Latitude in red line and Longitude in gray line. Different symbols represent different releve sites, for abbreviations and location see Fig. 1 (for inter- pretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article).

Table 2 dune morphology, topography, and soil nutrients, may also deter- Vector results of explanatory factors fitted onto NMDS. P values based on 1000 mine floristic variability (e.g. Frederiksen et al., 2006; Zuo et al., permutations. Abbreviations of variables are given in Table 1. 2009; Fenu et al., 2013a; Angiolini et al., 2013). Variables NMDS1 NMDS2 R2 Pr (>r) Floristic composition in Juniperus habitat was influenced also by X 0.4074 0.9133 0.1139 0.0010*** human disturbance and sampling period, as we expected (e.g. Y 0.7979 0.6028 0.3591 0.0010*** Acosta et al., 2006; Santoro et al., 2012; Ciccarelli, 2014). Moreover, tma 0.7019 0.7122 0.2584 0.0010*** both factors significantly influenced plant-species richness, as well tmax 0.8922 0.4517 0.4802 0.0010*** as the cover of endemic and alien taxa, which are key parameters to tmin 0.2734 0.9619 0.0237 0.1548 NS pa 0.1174 0.9931 0.0539 0.0160* evaluate habitat quality. Our results highlight a general decrease in pdq 0.9126 0.4089 0.2546 0.0010*** the number of species in areas with high levels of human distur- Human disturbance 0.3375 0.9413 0.0163 0.2717 NS bance, while low and medium human disturbance intensity Sampling period 0.6660 0.7459 0.0067 0.5794 NS determined an increase in the floristic richness, according to the NS: not significant; *:0.05 > p > 0.01; ***: p < 0.001. previous studies on coastal vegetation (e.g. Kutiel et al., 1999; Kerbiriou et al., 2008; Santoro et al., 2012; Attorre et al., 2013; prevailing wet winds and Atlantic perturbations arrive, and aeolian Ciccarelli, 2014). A similar effect to that described for floristic coastal dune systems are generally deeper and better-structured richness was found for endemics (both number and cover), which than in the East. The variables evaluated explain changes in were positively related to a medium level of human disturbance. habitat composition, but other local environmental factors, such as However, a negative effect of human disturbance on endemic species was found in some other habitats in Mediterranean coastal Table 3 dunes (e.g. Kutiel et al., 1999; Santoro et al., 2012; Fenu et al., Generalized Linear Model (GLM) results examining the effect of human disturbance 2013b). and sampling period on plant richness, as well as on cover of endemic and alien taxa. Our results show that in recent years the cover of alien species Estimate Standard error z value Pr (>jzj) has increased significantly. This increment appears to be related to

Richness the recent increase in human pressure, as in other coastal areas Intercept 2.3119 0.0436 53.053 <0.001*** (Carboni et al., 2010; Podda et al., 2011). Several studies have Low disturbance 0.3189 0.0586 5.441 <0.001*** demonstrated that alien species, such as Carpobrotus spp., Agave Medium disturbance 0.4365 0.0561 7.783 <0.001*** spp. and Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L. Wendl., are more competitive Recent sampling 0.0331 0.0501 0.659 0.51 NS than native species in Mediterranean coastal dunes (e.g. Suehs Endemic taxa cover Intercept 0.0123 0.1254 0.098 0.9220 NS et al., 2004; Vila et al., 2006; Traveset et al., 2008; Meloni et al., Low disturbance 0.0744 0.1889 0.394 0.6935 NS 2015). In addition, the proliferation of alien species cover in the Medium disturbance 0.8931 0.1447 6.172 <0.001*** study area is due in part to the expansion of afforestation Recent sampling 0.3596 0.1343 2.677 0.0074** during the last century in Mediterranean coastal areas for dune Alien taxa cover Intercept 1.9694 0.4082 4.824 <0.001*** stabilization (Court-Picon et al., 2004; Del Vecchio et al., 2013), but Low disturbance 18.0651 1439 0.013 0.990 NS afforestation competes with Juniperus habitat and eventually dis- Medium disturbance 17.7868 1311 0.014 0.989 NS places it (Malavasi et al., 2013). Recent sampling 1.8394 0.4410 4.171 <0.001*** In conclusion, the analysis of our own floristic data together NS: not significant; **: 0.01 > p > 0.001; ***: p < 0.001. with those recorded throughout Sardinia from 1976 was valuable to M.S. Pinna et al. / Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 164 (2015) 214e220 219 monitor floristic changes over decades, considering that perform- Arianoutsou, M., Leone, V., Moya, D., Lovreglio, R., Delipetrou, P., de las Heras, J., ing specific long-term studies is highly complex. Results obtained 2012. Management of threatened, high conservation value, forest hotspots under changing fire regimes. In: Moreira, F., Arianoutsou, M., Corona, P., de las are relevant to better understand the Juniperus habitat, and the Heras, J. (Eds.), Post-fire Management and Restoration of Southern European factors influencing it, and to contribute to its conservation. Thus, we Forests, Managing Forest Ecosystems. Manag. For Ecosyst. 24. Springer, e did not find a decline in species richness or cover of endemic taxa to Netherlands, pp. 257 291. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2208-8-7. 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In: Genovesi, P., Angelini, P., Bianchi, E., Dupre, E., Ercole, S., Giacanelli, V., Ronchi, F., Stoch, F. (Eds.), Specie e Certainly, the Juniperus habitat is a highly threatened habitat in habitat di interesse comunitario in Italia: distribuzione, stato di conservazione e Europe and therefore several LIFE projects (financial instrument trend. ISPRA, pp. 233e237. Serie Rapporti, 194/2014. supporting environmental and nature-conservation projects Brown, A.C., Nordstorm, K., McLachlan, A., Jackson, N.L., Sherman, D.J., 2008. Sandy shores of the near future. In: Polunin, N.V.C. (Ed.), Aquatic Ecosystems; Trends throughout the European Union) have funded studies and actions and Global Prospects. Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 263e280. to promote its conservation (Enebro, Duna, Junicoast and Provi- Carboni, M., Carranza, M.L., Acosta, A., 2009. Assessing conservation status on e dune). In particular, the ‘Conservatoire du Littoral’ in Corsica carried coastal dunes: a multiscale approach. Landsc. Urban Plan. 91, 17 25. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2008.11.004. out several restoration and recovery projects in dune systems with Carboni, M., Thuiller, W., Izzi, F., Acosta, A., 2010. Disentangling the relative effects Juniperus habitat, using laying fences, planting of marram grass, of environmental versus human factors on the abundance of native and alien planting of J. macrocarpa and J. phoenicea var. turbinata and plant species in Mediterranean sandy shores. Divers. Distrib. 16, 537e546. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-4642.2010.00677.x. uprooting of aliens (Paradis et al., 2004). Moreover, some of the Carranza, M.L., Acosta, A.T.R., Stanisci, A., Pirone, G., Ciaschetti, G., 2008. Ecosystem research results funded from Providune project have shown critical classification for EU habitat distribution assessment in sandy coastal environ- constraints for the recovery of J. macrocarpa habitat in critical ments: an application in central Italy. Environ. Monit. Assess. 140, 99e107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-007-9851-7. stages of its life-cycle such as germination (Pinna et al., 2014a)or Ciccarelli, D., 2014. Mediterranean Coastal sand dune vegetation: influence of seedling recruitment (Pinna et al., 2014b). natural and anthropogenic factors. Environ. Manag. 54, 194e204. http:// In general, due to the high conservation value of the Juniperus dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0290-2. fi habitat, we emphasize the need for more sustainable planning and Conti, F., Alessandrini, A., Bacchetta, G., Ban , E., Barberis, G., Bartolucci, F., Bernardo, L., Bonacquisti, S., Bouvet, D., Bovio, M., Brusa, G., Del Guacchio, E., recreational use of these areas. 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